Relationship

Relationships are the most integral part of life. We may possess every materialistic thing of this world but we need to have someone to share and enjoy those  riches with. That’s where our relationships come into the scenario and this is the reason why Arjuna had refused to fight the Mahabharata war. Our life is incomplete without relationships. These are the real treasures of our life. It might be very hard to find a true companion who selflessly loves us and cares for us in this extremely selfish world full of frauds. But, it is not impossible to find someone like that and the moment we find a genuine person,  we must not let that person go, no matter what. If our relationship is positive and progressive, then our life too is happier and more pleasurable. On the other hand, if our relationship is negative and toxic then our life too will be stressful and full of anxieties.

Nowadays, we want everything to be fast paced. Just like instant noodles, we want everything to happen instantly, including our relationships. That is the reason they say that is the age of “love at first sight and divorce at first fight”. But, if we look at nature, everything happens very slowly. Every natural process takes its own time and does not rush through. Similarly, our relationships too take their own time and natural love happens slowly. We should not rush to fall in love with someone and also we should not rush to leave someone. Mistakes have to be forgiven, sacrifices and compromises have to be made and tolerance has to be practiced and only then can we taste the sweetness of our relationship. 

In the ancient Indian scriptures, four pillars of our life are mentioned. They are: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. These should also govern our relationship. Let me explain them in details and show you how these purusharthas can be used in a relationship:

dharma: A relationship must have dharma at its top. It means that we must discuss and practice righteousness and piety in our lives with our partner. Our relationship must have good value systems and should be governed by high principles.

artha: Artha means economic growth and prosperity. This means that we should also prosper materially and succeed with our partner. We should engage in economic activities and should also focus on earning for the sustenance of ourselves and our family. 

kama: This means lust and desires. We should enjoy the worldly riches with our partner and fulfill our desires. This means that we should also engage in sense gratification and do activities to please our senses.

moksha: This means liberation from the cycle of birth and death. ‘A family that prays together, stays together,’ this is a very famous saying. This means that we must engage in spiritual activities with our partner and attain liberation. In this world, nothing is permanent and so is our relationship. However, if we together engage in spiritual activities and attain the higher plain then we can be together forever in the spiritual plain. 

In a relationship, all these four purusharthas should be balanced properly. A little imbalance can ruin our relationship. We must have dharma at the top and moksha at the bottom and these two virtues enclose artha and kama. This is because if we artha and kama should be kept in their limits as if they increase too much then they can ruin our relationship as well as  our whole life. That is why they must be kept in check by dharma and moksha.

In conclusion, I just want to say that a relationship is an art of perfect balance and intelligence. Since Valentine's week is starting from today, I thought this is the best time to meditate on our relationships and make them long lasting and more pleasurable by balancing everything perfectly. A relationship has the power to turn our life into a heaven or a hell. So, choose your partner wisely and when you find the right one, don’t let him or her go.